babble is rabble.ca's discussion board but it's much more than that: it's an online community for folks who just won't shut up. It's a place to tell each other — and the world — what's up with our work and campaigns.

In the past 5 minutes, her Wikipedia page has changed twice, saying initially she was assassinated, then saying she was shot, based on a NYT article that has similarly been modified. It's rather macabre, watching this scramble between the news networks to be the 1st one to say she's dead. Reminds me of back in '81, when James Brady was falsely confirmed dead after being shot in the head at that attempted assassination of Reagan.

Apparently, one of her aids has been confirmed deceased in the attack.

The article I linked in my previous post now says this:

Quote:

U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords shot, reports conflict about her condition.

Judge Roll in 2009, faced death threats after presiding over a $32 million civil-rights lawsuit. The lawsuit was filed by illegal immigrants against an Arizona rancher. After Judge Roll ruled the case would be certified, threats came from talk-radio shows which fueled controversy and spurred audiences into making threats against the judge[2].

The threats materialized after one show, Judge Roll's name logged more than 200 phone calls as some callers threatened the judge and his family[2].

This resulted in the judge and his wife were under a protection detail for one month as Judge Roll was given twenty four hours a day, seven days a week security by the US Marshals Service. An US Attorney's investigation ruled that four men were identified as threat makers, but no charges were filed[2].

In a July 9, 2009 interview with the Arizona Republic, Judge Roll described the time under high security as "unnerving and invasive. . . . By its nature it has to be," Roll said. Roll also said, "It (the security) was handled very professionally by the Marshals Service."[2]

At the end of the month, Roll said four key men had been identified as threat makers[2].

The incident came after packages ignited in a post office in Washington, DC on Friday and two government buildings in neighboring Maryland on Thursday.

Giffords, 40, became the first Jewish woman to be elected to Congress from Arizona in 2006 and is married to Mark Kelly, a NASA astronaut.

She was a centrist and a member of the so-called Blue Dog Coalition of Democrats who support fiscally conservative, pro-business policies.

She has pushed for more troops to guard the nearby US-Mexico border and favored a path to legalization that would require illegal immigrants to pass a criminal background check, pay back taxes and learn English.

US federal judge John Roll of Arizona was also shot, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Giffords had been targeted by U.S. conservatives over her support for passage last year of Obama's health-care reform legislation. Her Arizona office was vandalized, its front door smashed, after passage of the health care bill last March.

At the time, Giffords' spokesman said it appeared someone either shot at the door or smashed it with another object. "We think a pellet gun was fired at the door. We're not sure," C.J. Karamargin told a local television station.

Giffords was also one of 20 members of Congress who was included in a controversial online posting by former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin following the health care vote. On her political action committee's website, Palin posted a crosshairs target over Giffords' district and listed her by name as a lawmaker to defeat in the midterm elections.

Palin came under heavy criticism from liberal groups who accused her of being reckless in using militaristic language and imagery to criticize members of Congress.

Giffords staff had for a time been worried about her safety.

In the summer of 2009, one of Giffords' staff members reported that a gun had been left at another town hall meeting hosted by the congresswoman.

Giffords, 40, became the first Jewish woman to be elected to Congress from Arizona in 2006 and is married to Mark Kelly, a NASA astronaut.

She was a centrist and a member of the so-called Blue Dog Coalition of Democrats who support fiscally conservative, pro-business policies.

She has pushed for more troops to guard the nearby US-Mexico border and favored a path to legalization that would require illegal immigrants to pass a criminal background check, pay back taxes and learn English.

If she'd been a Republican, which based on her profile above she could very well be, I don't think there'd be as much emotion about this shooting. Correction - as much sad emotion. If she'd been Republican the emotion would be ....Shadenfreud? Is that right?

"She's in critical condition," Dr. Peter Rhee said. "The neurosurgeons have finished operating on her and I can tell you that in the current time period I am very optimistic about recovery ... she was following commands.